Growth Hormone

Class Summary

hGH produced via recombinant DNA technology in Escherichia coli; widely available since 1985. Currently, only 1 of the 10 largest reported clinical studies has demonstrated that therapy can increase final adult height in patients with normal variant short stature. This most recent NIH-funded study was randomized, placebo controlled, and took place over 14 y. Investigators demonstrated average gain in height did not exceed 4 cm when rhGH treatment of normal variant short stature began prior to puberty and continued through completion of puberty. They did not identify any clinical feature that, prior to start of therapy, could predict whether an individual patient would respond to rhGH and to what degree. Whether several years of daily injections are worth the potential, but not promised, relatively small increase in final adult height remains a personal and individual decision involving the patient, patient's family, and physician.

Gonzalez Briceno LG, Viaud M, Beltrand J, et al. Improved General and Height-Specific Quality of Life in Children with Short Stature after One Year on Growth Hormone. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019 Jan 15. [Medline].

Robert P Hoffman, MD Professor and Program Director, Department of Pediatrics, Ohio State University College of Medicine; Pediatric Endocrinologist, Division of Pediatric, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Nationwide Children's Hospital